Happiness Can Be Elusive

Sometimes, we don’t’ know what we need, especially if we listen to the flesh. Some think they need happiness, and yet when they chase it, they find themselves feeling empty. Happiness is elusive when it becomes the goal in life. It actually is a byproduct; not the main thing. Not understanding the definition of happiness increases the chances of it slipping through one’s fingers. On the other hand, when individuals grasp its meaning, they will find it more apt to come their way. Thus, removing the “need” to chase it.

What is Happiness?

Let’s examine the definition happiness from two different perspectives. One will be the world’s view of this elusive creature, and the other will be biblical. It may bring some of you to a crossroads where you decide which worldview to embrace. In turn, your decision will orient your aim.
One meaning of happiness means good fortune: prosperity. Another is a state of well-being and contentment. In addition, pleasurable satisfaction. If you like, the state of being happy. So, what does the word, happy mean?
Feeling or showing pleasure and contentment. Having a sense of confidence in or satisfaction with a person, arrangement, or situation (happy about). To be happy with is to be satisfied with the quality or standard. Another meaning attached to this word is luck or fortune (fortunate). Sometimes it can be characterized by an irresponsible state, which includes impulsiveness, or obsessively quick to use something (trigger-happy).
Here are some other words or phrases one might use in its place: cheerful, merry, jovial, gleeful, exuberant, blissful, cloud nine, over the moon, walking on the moon, and of course, on top of the world.
One major component attached to happiness is it relies much on exterior circumstances. Maintaining a constant state of happiness may prove difficult, considering our circumstances constantly change. If a person is seldom content with life, he will seldom experience happiness.
Psalm 144:15 Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
As we define happiness from a biblical point of view, we’ll discover it is a much more sustainable state than that of which the world offers. One clue is that the word, happy, is interchangeable with blessed. In this case, this verse could be rendered as, Blessed is that people. . .
Here’s where it begins to get interesting. In the Hebrew (Old Testament language), Happy (835 Strong’s Concordance) is an adjective that is interchangeable with blessed, and is derived from the noun, happiness (833).
Happiness (833) means to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy). Figuratively, to go forward, be honest, prosper. The way this word is rendered in Scripture is “bless”; “blessed”; “be blessed”; “called blessed”; “happy,” as well as “go”; “guide”; “lead,” and “relieve.”
The byproduct of God being our Lord is happiness. If a person chases happiness, or seeks to be blessed, he may miss God in the process. A life without God is truly empty!
1 Peter 4:14 If ye be reproached (reviled) for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part, He is glorified.
How many would think being persecuted for the name of Christ would make one happy? Yet, here we find it to be a consequence of persecution for His sake. Go figure! One might say it sounds counterintuitive. Rest easy, persecution is not the sole requirement of being blessed or happy. Nonetheless, we can take comfort in this truth.
 Just as it is in Hebrew, happy and blessed are used interchangeably in the Greek (New Testament language). Before looking at the definition of the word, let’s look at another example found in the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:1-7:29).
Matthew 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.
Happy (3071) comes from a word that means to be supremely blessed. By extension it means fortunate, or well off. It is rendered as “blessed,” “happy,” or “happier.” However, it goes deeper. It means possessing the favor of God. It is a state of being marked by fullness from God.
The distinction between worldly and biblical happiness is the former relies on exterior circumstances, personal performance, and earthly things. It is attached to the things of the world: the lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and pride of life (see 1 John 2:15-17). Whereas, the latter is dependent on our relationship with God, and obedience to Him. It has nothing to do with earthly possessions, or performance. That means satisfaction comes from God, and not from favorable circumstances!
1 Timothy 6:6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
To be spiritual is to be happy. To be carnal is to be empty. The happiest people on the planet are those whose God is their Father, Jesus is their Lord, and have Holy Spirit living in them. Who delight themselves in Him, serve Him; and thus, live a life of service. These experience fulfillment on the highest level.  
Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

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Start Here

If you want to be happy, joyful and fulfilled, ask yourself, “Am I where God wants me?” This question includes your state of being. That is, being who you need to be for Him. Incidentally, if you are who you need to be for Him, you will be who you need to be for others. Conversely, if you seek to be who need to be for others first, you may not be who you need to be for Him. People-pleasing can be a detriment.
Let’s underscore the obvious: if you are in pursuit of anything different than where He wants you, you are spinning your wheels. More than likely you are seeking to fulfill the desires of the flesh, which is rooted in the world. Seeking a worldly lifestyle puts you at odds with God.
James 4:4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God (see also Romans 8:1-18; 1 John 2:15-17)?

Breaking It Down

Happiness is more related to pleasure, and reliant on exterior circumstances and things. Which means it can be rather fleeting. Nothing wrong with happiness, but if it’s your primary goal in life, you may find yourself frequently disappointed. For instance, one may find it rather pleasurable to buy a new car. Paid with cash; not credit, for good measure. Initially, it makes you happy; but eventually, the excitement wears off. In fact, if you factor in paying for insurance, maintenance and repairs, discontentment may be just around the corner.
On the other hand, joy is an inner glee that provides strength during less than desirable times. Joyful people have that “glow,” even under adverse circumstances. In some cases, especially because of adverse circumstances, such as being persecuted for the sake of Jesus. It’s not that they necessarily seek it; it’s just they found a reason to rejoice (see Matthew 5:11-12; Luke 6:22-23; 1 Peter 1:1-9).
Joy is well aware God is with us, no matter what! Moreover, obedience to God brings greater joy and fulfillment. Self-serving people do not experience joy. At best, they experience forms of happiness or pleasure; and yet, they are not happy people. Definitely not content!
John 15:10-11 If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. This is My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.   
Obedience to God is rooted in love. We obey His commandments, because we love Him; and indeed, love is their fulfillment (see John 14:15; Romans 13:10). The question is, how do we obey, especially when we don’t feel like it? One word: submission. By submitting to Holy Spirit, we have everything we need to obey.
Galatians 5:22-25 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.
If Holy Spirit lives in you, you have all these things listed in you. For example, there is no need to ask for patience. Patience is a submission issue. The joy of the Lord is our strength. If you need to strength, submit!
Here’s a definition of irony: the more you try to make yourself happy, the less happy you will be. With this in mind, the more submitted you are to Him, the more happy, joyful and content you will be. The greatest fulfillment is found in the center of God’s will!

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Humanity’s Search for Happiness

   What makes you happy? Much of humanity seems to think they know what would bring them happiness; and yet, once they obtain whatever it may be, they still aren’t satisfied. Oh sure, they may experience moments of bliss, but their effects are fast fleeting. They’re never permanent. Some might say, “I know what would make me happy.” If they did, they already would be. Notice, it’s still future tense.

   That’s just it, they seek material possession, status, relationships and so on. Even if they gain all those things, it will never be enough. They’ve been duped. They’ve taken on a form of selfishness that leads to emptiness. Happiness has become the god of many. They don’t understand happiness is a byproduct of something else altogether different. More on that in a moment. The bottom line, the things of the world will never make them happy. The Bible gives serious hints concerning this truth.

   1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

   If you seek happiness in the manner of the world, it will elude you. Trying to be the captain of your own soul will sink your ship.

The Definition of Happiness

   Maybe it would be important to ask, what is the definition of happiness? Perhaps, one of the reasons it eludes people is they haven’t properly defined it. They have assigned a different meaning to the actual definition, or over emphasized an aspect of it. For instance, they confuse pleasure with happiness, or that part of happiness which is pleasurable, minus its other aspects.  What is the definition, then?  

   One definition is good fortune, or prosperity. Another is a state of well-being and contentment (hmmm), or joy. A third is bliss, or aptness. However, biblically, it has some other meanings.

   In the Hebrew (Old Testament language), it means to be straight (used in the widest sense, especially to be level, right, happy). In other words, it is used of a straight way, hence what is upright, or erect. Figuratively, it means to go forward, be honest, or prosper. It is rendered as “bless” (“call [-ed] blessed”, “be blessed”), “happy,” “go,” “guide,” “lead,” and “relieve” (833, Strong’s Concordance number).

   In the Greek (New Testament language), to be happy means blessed, possessing the favor of God. Fortunate, or well off. It is a state of being marked by the fullness from God. It is rendered as “blessed,” “happy,” or “happier” (3107, Strong’ Concordance number).

How to be Happy

   Those who are truly happy are in the world; and yet, independent of the world. Their satisfaction comes from God; not from favorable circumstances. If you put other things ahead of God, happiness will be fast fading. The self-centered life is a sure way to unhappiness!  

   Psalm 146:4-5 Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is: which keepeth truth for ever (read entire chapter).

   Interestingly, the fear of the Lord is also attached to happiness. When you fear the Lord properly, He is the Center of your life.

    Proverbs 28:14 Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.

   Here’s a fascinating concept: happiness according to the world can be found in instant gratification, with no friction. However, it fades fast. Biblical happiness requires endurance, and has long term results. In fact, you might say it’s eternal. Moreover, it may include hardship.

   James 5:10-11 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy (see also 1 Peter 3:14).

   1 Peter 4:13-14 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.

   When it comes to happiness, think long-term; not instant, fleshly gratification. Happy is the one whose God is his or her Father, whose Lord is Jesus Christ, and whose Comforter is Holy Spirit!

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